


Exploring an Abandoned Bookshop

by J_Anthony



Series: Thomas Miller's Urbex Adventures [1]
Category: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: Aziraphale's Bookshop (Good Omens), M/M, POV Outsider, Urban Exploration, abandoned buildings, urbex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-08
Updated: 2020-05-08
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:14:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24081163
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/J_Anthony/pseuds/J_Anthony
Summary: Ever since A. Z. Fell and Co’s bookshop opened in 1800, it also closed mysteriously for periods time, but also always opened back up as if it were never closed at all. It was during the times it was closed that it attracted all kinds of people who tried to get in. They all had only one thing in common, no one ever found their way in.That was, until Thomas Miller found the front door unlocked.
Relationships: Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens)
Series: Thomas Miller's Urbex Adventures [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1746607
Comments: 17
Kudos: 200





	Exploring an Abandoned Bookshop

**Author's Note:**

> I've always wanted to write an outside POV for Good Omens because they are one of my favorites to read and here we are!

“As you can see, the sign is flipped to ‘closed’,” the young man said, while illuminating the yellowed sign with his flashlight and holding his camera almost against the glass. “And here we have the _very_ unusual opening hours, even though the shop hasn’t been open in at least several years.”

Ever since A. Z. Fell and Co’s bookshop opened in 1800, it also closed mysteriously for periods of weeks, months and sometimes even years, but also always opened back up as if it were never closed at all. It was during the times it was closed that it attracted all kinds of people who tried to get in. Thieves and thugs, homeless people and vagrants, curious people and teenagers looking for a place to snog in secret or party. They all had only one thing in common, no one ever found their way in. 

That was, until Thomas Miller found the front door unlocked. Thomas Miller was an urban explorer with a semi-popular Youtube channel who liked to film inside abandoned buildings. One night he just found the front door unlocked one night. He hadn’t planned to go there at all, he just felt the sudden urge to try it when he passed it by. 

He had passed by the bookshop many times before and had tried to get in on multiple occasions. You didn’t get the opportunity to explore a lot of old, abandoned buildings in popular districts like Soho and this was exactly the kind of opportunity Thomas could really use right now, as views of his channel seemed to dwindle. 

He did his research, but couldn’t find much information about the place. There were a few old forum posts discussing the old, eccentric bookseller and his reluctance to sell anything anything from his extensive collection and a news article from 2019 claiming that the building was on fire and burned completely down. He didn’t really trust that one, the building didn’t show any signs of fire and he was pretty sure that it would’ve been torn down by now and replaced by a modern building if it had been the case.

There were rumours of the place being haunted, as people witnessed light turning on and off in the middle of the nights and shadows in the windows, without ever seeing anyone coming in or out of the building. Thomas didn’t believe in ghosts, there was probably a rational explanation for that.

That’s how Thomas Miller found himself filming the exterior of the building while narrating something about the red store front and faded gold lettering that still showed the ‘A.Z. FELL AND Co’ above the doors. The windows were so incredibly dirty that it was impossible for him to look inside and they had been for quite some time. He could only imagine the mess it must be inside. 

For the second time this night, Thomas opened the front door. It was dark inside and he couldn’t see a thing, so he fumbled for his flashlight for a second. His heart was almost beating out of his chest in a mix of excitement and curiosity, but also fear of what he was going to find inside the abandoned bookshop. 

“Alright, we’re inside,” Thomas said as the flashlight turned on with a clicking sound. “Let’s see what’s left in this Soho bookshop.”

As he wasn’t expecting to film anything tonight, Thomas was only carrying his vlog camera and a flashlight that happened to be in his bag. It wasn’t as good as the flashlight he usually used, but he tried to make it work anyway. 

The first thing he saw was the dusty carpet underneath his feet and he almost walked into the round display in front of him. 

“Oh, that’s beautiful.”

The display was ornately carved and decorated, the wood visible under a layer of dust and no merchandise. He moved his flashlight to shine around the shop, revealing more carpets, more tables, but more importantly, bookshelves. They all seemed to empty and picked clean of any books and dusty as anything, but they were still beautiful to look at. 

“It seems like the shopkeeper didn’t leave any books behind, but all the furniture is still here,” Thomas narrated while stepping around the display in front of him and shining the light over the four impressive columns and up to the round skylight and another floor. “Would you look at that, this place is massive from the inside!” 

Even though Thomas felt impressed with how beautiful the inside looked, he felt a sudden chill and almost overwhelmed how uneasy he felt. He felt like someone was watching him from the shadows. 

“Is there anyone here?” he called out into the darkness and stayed quiet for a bit. 

Much like it seemed that light from the outside couldn’t penetrate the dirty windows in the shop, there was absolutely no noise coming from the outside and the stop itself was dead silent. There was no creaking, no sounds from cars outside, no wind. 

Thomas stepped onto the middle of the round carpet underneath the skylight. “This seems to be the center of the shop,” he told his viewers as he turned around and showed the railings on the floor above them. “I can only imagine how this must’ve looked with all the books on the shelves and the light pouring in from the skylight during the day. So, for all of you who live across the pond and have never been to the UK, it’s wet here. It’s wet in the winter, in the summer, basically all the time. I always carry a respirator with me because wetness means mold. But this place is something else, there doesn’t seem to be any mold here and it doesn’t feel damp _at all_.”

He turned towards his right, revealing more ornate bookshelves and walked towards them. His light made shadows dance against a badly illuminated background and he couldn’t shake the feeling that he wasn’t alone. He decided that he wouldn’t tell his viewers about this weird feeling yet. 

For a second he could’ve sworn that he smelled something burning, but the smell faded away as quickly as it came. He carved it up to his imagination, it was just because he read that article about the bookshop being on fire, nothing more. 

“A little bit of backstory for this bookshop, it was opened around 1800 by a certain Mr. Fell and I guess it stayed in the family, because the note with opening hours was written by a Mr. Fell too,” Thomas said while walking in between the bookshelves and trying to get some nice shots in by filming through the shelves. “They specialised in antique and unusual books. I found some forum posts from years ago discussing this shop, but that was it. There is no information on when it closed or what happened to Mr. Fell. I think the family still owns the property because this is prime real estate and someone would’ve snagged it up and turned it into a coffee shop or something.”

He turned around, filmed another bookshelf against the wall and a big grandfather clock that was standing right next to it. The whole store looked like it was made out of antiques. He walked towards the back wall behind the shelves and almost gave himself a heart attack when a floorboard creaked underneath his feet. 

As he passed another bookshelf, he found a spiraling staircase made out of cast iron that lead to the floor above them. It was barricaded off and honestly didn’t seem all that sturdy. There was probably a reason why it was barricaded off. 

“Look, a staircase. I might try to climb it after we finish a tour from the ground floor,” he said while filming the details of the cast iron. “So, there’s one funny story I found online of the bookseller. Apparently he kept a giant pet snake loose in the store. I don’t know if I believe it, the person writing it seemed a bit salty because the seller wouldn’t sell a specific copy of God knows what ancient book, but wouldn’t that be wild?”

Thomas walked past a table into a room that seemed like a backroom. It wasn’t really special, there was an expensive looking cabinet and a small, very old fashioned kitchenette with a sink. Well, it was barely a kitchenette and more just a sink with shelving. 

He walked out of the backroom through another opening, right into a place that seemed to be some sitting area, sheltered from the rest of the shop with more shelves. There was a small settee, an empty desk with an ancient desk chair, more shelves and tables.

He tried to turn on a few of the lamps on the desk, but the electricity was most likely cut ages ago. Just a few moments later he spotted an antique looking register. 

“Oh, this is absolutely-”

He tried to get a closer look at the register, but stopped mid sentence and dead in his tracks because he thought he heard footsteps. He hadn’t been able to shake the feeling of being watched while being here, even though he explored the entire ground floor and there was obviously no one there. 

“As you guys can probably hear, it is _really_ quiet in here,” Thomas started whispering now, talking to his audience always made him feel a little less alone and scared in abandoned places. “The only thing I’ve been hearing are my own footsteps and some floorboards creaking when I stand on them, but I _swear_ I just heard other footsteps.”

He was quiet again, listening intently, but couldn’t hear anything over the pounding of his heart in his ears. When his heart calmed down a bit and he couldn’t hear any other sounds besides his own breathing, he started to shine the flashlight around again. The shadows seemed a bit more distorted than usual, but that was everything he saw. Until the light was reflected back from a pair of yellow slitted eyes staring at him through the empty shelves and Thomas was sure that the snake was left behind in the store.

“Bloody hell,” Thomas squeaked undignified. “Is there anybody there?”

At this point he was pretty sure that he imagined the yellow slitted eyes. There was no way a snake could survive in this empty shop for so long and he only saw it for a split second anyway. 

“Who are you even talking to?”

Thomas’ heart seemed to stop when he heard the drawl from behind the bookshelf. A moment later, a lanky man stepped into the only light source that Thomas was holding. He stayed at the edge of light, revealing only his dark red hair pulled back and tight black clothing. He had his arms crossed and the light reflected back at him from dark sunglasses (who the hell wears sunglasses at night?), while having a smirk on his thin lips. 

He was probably just as tall as Thomas, but skinnier and looked a bit like a dated rockstar. Not someone he would consider to be very dangerous, but there was something in the way he moved and carried himself that sparked a deep fear in him. 

“I’m so sorry, I thought no one was here and the place seemed abandoned,” Thomas started to apologise, but he was sure he didn’t hear the door open or hear someone come down the stairs. 

The man walked around the edge of the light and Thomas felt stalked, like he was prey and was being backed into a corner. 

“That only confuses me more. If there’s no one here, who are you talking to?” he asked again with a certain smugness in his voice. 

Thomas looked at the camera he was still holding. “I’m erm… making a video,” he answered, suddenly embarrassed by the fact that he was talking to a camera and an audience that wasn’t there. 

“Oh, you’re one of those trendy… vloggers?” 

He could see the strange man’s eyebrows going up questioning above his sunglasses. His face was half covered in shadows and Thomas didn’t dare to shine the flashlight directly onto him.

“Urbexer,” Thomas corrected him. “Urban explorer. I make videos of abandoned buildings so people don’t have to go out themselves.”

The man chuckled softly and leaned against the bookshelf. He looked almost boneless and cooler than Thomas ever seen anyone lean against a piece of dusty furniture. He felt like he really wanted to step back and away from him. 

“I’m sorry, are you the owner of this shop?” Thomas dared to ask, as if the man had any more business to be here if he wasn’t! 

“Do I look like I own a bookshop?” the man asked, but it felt like he wasn’t really offended by the question.

“I er- um…” Thomas stammered. 

“You’re not supposed to be here.”

Those words send a chill down his spine. They sounded intimidating, threatening, as if he made the biggest mistake in his life and wouldn’t get out alive. The whole atmosphere shifted, the temperature seemed to drop instantly and it took a sinister turn. Somehow the man still gave off a casual vibe. 

The man pushed himself away from the bookshelf languidly. “You better leave now you still can,” he hissed menacingly. “And don’t even think about ever returning. You’re not going to put that video up either.”

Thomas could only nod while the man sauntered closer, circling him like he was some sort or prey. The only thing he wanted was to get out. He ran into people in abandoned buildings before. Vagrants, junkies, even uniforms or owners. Some people were definitely dangerous, but he never felt as threatened as he felt right now. 

“Crowley, dear?” 

A posh sounding voice cut through the ominous silence following the man’s threat. The atmosphere seemed to change instantly. 

“What in heaven's name are you doing in the bookshop in the middle of the night?”

The man grumbled, his whole attitude shifted and he slouched a bit. Suddenly it didn’t feel as cold anymore and the shadows seemed to retreat, his flashlight was just a little bit brighter and the light shined a little bit further. It was probably just a trick of the eye. 

“I know you like to watch that show with the old ladies, but you don’t have to sneak out to do so.”

A man dressed like he was some sort of old professor that wore only beige stepped from behind one of the bookshelves, a disapproving look on his face. He was the kind of guy one would expect in a place like this, if it wasn’t abandoned of course. 

The two men seemed like a mismatched pair, polar opposites, one skinny man dressed in all black, the other one a little more round in a blue sleeve shirt and a bow tie at midnight with curls that seemed almost white. He didn’t seemed dangerous at all and now that he saw the pair together, the man that was apparently named Crowley also didn’t seem as intimidating anymore. His body language changed dramatically when he turned towards the other man. 

“ _No_! I wasn’t watching telly. _Someone_ broke in,” he clarified and gestured towards Thomas. 

A pair of piercing blue eyes flashed towards him. 

“No, I didn’t,” Thomas blurted out without thinking. “The front door was unlocked.”

“So you just walk into any place with unlocked doors, do you?” the man named Crowley drawled.

Thomas shrugged, that was basically what he did most of the time. Just usually not buildings with people in it. 

“Alright, that’s quite enough Crowley. You’re scaring the poor lad,” the beige man reprimanded Crowley primly and walked towards Thomas. “Let’s turn some lights on in here, yeah?”

Thomas just wanted to say that the electricity didn’t work in here, when the man walked past him and turned on the two lamps on the desk. A yellow light illuminated the small seating area and Thomas turned his flashlight off. He felt a little stunned and overwhelmed, but the whole ominous air around Crowley was suddenly gone. 

“Sit down, dear boy. Tea?”

Before Thomas could answer that, the man bustled off towards the backroom, turning on more lights as he went. Crowley looked thoroughly annoyed and followed him. Thomas felt compelled to do as the man told him and sat down hesitantly on the settee. He put his camera down on the side table but didn’t turn it off on purpose.

“C’mon angel, the guy just broke into your bookshop. You can’t just go on offer him tea!” he complained in a hushed voice. “I was _trying_ to get him to leave.”

“I could see that,” was the answer and Thomas heard the rattling of cups and saucers. “How did you even know someone was in here?”

It stayed silent for a bit. “I warded the place.”

Thomas frowned confused. A second later, both men emerged from the backroom, the one that was referred to as ‘angel’ carrying a tray with three steaming cups of tea and a plate of biscuits. Thomas was pretty sure that no one could conjure up tea this fast, it should be impossible. 

The way Crowley called him ‘angel’ and considering how the bickered, Thomas expected the two to be partners. 

Tea was handed out and the man took place on the old looking desk chair. He had expected it to creak dangerously but nothing happened. The redhead hovered behind the other man in the opening towards the backroom. 

“Stop lurking about and sit down please,” the man sighed. 

Crowley grumbled, but complied anyway. He dragged a chair towards them with a certain dramatic flair and flopped down on it, sprawling out as much as he could and looking strangely boneless while doing so, as if he never got the memo on how to use chairs. He even looked _cool_ while doing it. 

The blonde man looked at him with those piercing blue eyes over the rim of the delicate looking cups. Thomas was pretty sure that he hadn’t seen any cups, especially not a clean, antique looking tea set decorated with golden edges and flowers. 

“So, what’s your name?”

“Erm… Thomas. Miller.”

“Very nice to meet you, Thomas. I’m Mr. Fell and this my er- associate, Anthony Crowley.”

Crowley nearly choked on the sip of tea he just took and coughed. Mr. Fell shot him a sideways glance which Thomas couldn’t decipher. Partners in a different way then?

“We’re _married_ , Aziraphale!”

“Yes, well. Old habits and such.”

Thomas looked from one to the other, this was the oddest couple he ever met and he had no idea what was going on. Crowley seemed to slouch ever further in his chair and mumbled something Thomas couldn’t hear. Just to have something to do, he took a sip from his tea and found it to be perfect drinking temperature. 

“You said the front door was open?” Mr. Fell changed the subject. 

“Yeah, just walked up and opened it,” Thomas shrugged. “So you’re the owner, right?”

“I am and I don’t remember leaving the front door unlocked.”

Crowley and Mr. Fell exchanged another look, one full of unspoken words that Thomas couldn’t decipher. He just knew they exchanged something meaningful. 

When Mr. Fell asked him about what he was doing there, he explained his Youtube channel and him being an urban explorer. Crowley had pulled out his phone from his pocket, although Thomas had the feeling that a phone would never fit in the pocket of those super tight looking trousers. He didn’t seem to pay any attention to their conversation.

“Kids these days, getting bored and breaking into building and _filming it_ ,” he remarked without looking up from his phone. “Only doing it for the likes, they have no respect.”

“We can’t all be causing selfless mayhem, Crowley. And I do recall your memo’s to head office.”

“But I didn’t _film_ it,” Crowley muttered. 

Mr. Fell’s voice was very posh and prim, but he smiled fondly anyway. Meanwhile, Thomas just wondered where he walked into and when he could leave. This was all just a bit too strange, however nice Mr. Fell was, he gave off some weird vibes and Thomas just hoped he wasn’t going to be murdered, or something worse, tonight. 

Without looking up from his screen, Crowley set his cup and saucer back on the tray and grabbed one of the biscuits. Instead of eating it himself, he gave it to Mr. Fell. That was the only thing from stopping his eyes to be glued to his mobile, he watched for Mr. Fell almost wiggled in his chair and his eyes lit up.

“Thank you, dearest.”

Crowley’s expressions softened, but pretended to be interested in his mobile again and Thomas wished once again that he wasn’t here. It almost felt like intruding on something very personal, weird vibes aside. Was Mr. Fell really that happy about being handed a biscuit? 

“I should go,” Thomas said and was already standing up and putting his cup down. 

“Of course, it’s late and we don’t want to keep you up all night! We should all return home.”

He picked up his camera and held it tightly, hoping that the men didn’t notice it was still turned on. Mr. Fell also got up and picked up a few biscuits. 

“Here, have a snack for the way home.”

Thomas just nodded and was relieved that they seemed to just let him go. They left the sitting area, somehow there were lamps at the door and they were turned on. The whole shop looked a lot brighter and less dusty, but he hadn’t much time to look around. Crowley didn’t follow them, but that didn’t stop Mr. Fell from ushering Thomas out.

“Don’t go walking into people’s shops at night, Mr. Miller. There are far more dangerous people out there than us. Now, have a good night and mind how you go!”

He opened the door for Thomas and let him walk away. Thomas gave Mr. Fell an awkward wave.

“Well er- thanks for the tea and biscuits, Mr. Fell.” 

“It was my pleasure. I hope that your… what did you call it, whotube channel? does alright and you find something much safer and more exciting to film.”

* * *

Thomas didn’t really recall how he got back home, he vaguely recalled getting on the tube and getting into bed next. When he woke up the next morning for class, it felt like the whole previous night was just a weird dream from exploring too much abandoned buildings. 

He didn’t pay it attention the next few days. Every time he tried to think about it, it was like he couldn’t concentrate and his attention slipped away, like water off a duck's back. This was only emphasised when he got an offer to collab with a much larger channel to film a few videos opening time capsules that were buried 50 to 100 years ago. It would be a great opportunity for his channel and also to move away from urbex for a while. 

It wasn’t until he grabbed his vlogging camera that he noticed the footage on there. 

He played it back on his laptop, ready to see if it really happened the way he remembered it. When he pressed play, everything just seemed normal. He watched himself film the front, enter the building, audio was normal and the shop was really there. He really didn’t imagine it. 

He remembered when he heard the footsteps and could actually hear them on the audio. A few moments later, the yellow serpentine eyes were clearly caught on camera, but right at that moment the footage glitched and a high pitched sound rang through his headphones. In shock, he threw his headphones off. His laptop screen only showed some white snow and the audio was entirely missing. 

Thomas interpreted this as a sign to not upload any of the footage he shot that night. 

**Author's Note:**

> [Come yell at me on Tumblr!](https://normified.tumblr.com/)


End file.
